


Heir to Winterfell

by Katlyn1948



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, One Shot, Other, Pregnant Arya, Prompt Fulfillment, Revelations, arya and Gendry are in Winterfell with Sansa, sansa has some bitchiness to her but not a lot, she’s okay with it, sister bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-03-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:40:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23062621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katlyn1948/pseuds/Katlyn1948
Summary: Sansa runs and idea past Arya and Arya tells Sansa a secret
Relationships: Arya Stark & Sansa Stark, Arya Stark/Gendry Waters
Comments: 4
Kudos: 146





	Heir to Winterfell

**Author's Note:**

> So this was a prompt fulfillment and I had so much fun writing it. It literally took me like an hour and it was just great! Shout out to onefail-at-atime on Tumblr for the idea! Hope you enjoy! 
> 
> PS
> 
> This is the most I’ve written in like a long time

In the year since the end of the war, the North had been thriving. With Sansa, Queen in the North at the helm, Winterfell and all of the north had seen an abundance of trade, agriculture, and life throughout the region. It had been a difficult start, for Sansa had no idea how to run a kingdom on her own. She’d always had the help of several advisors and Jon to lend a hand.

But with Jon beyond the wall and her advisors dead, she had to learn how to make decisions for her kingdom alone.

She couldn’t take all the credit, of course.

There was Arya who, although seemed perfectly capable ruling over the common folk, wanted to train new recruits for a Northern army any queen should have. She had taken up the daunting task shortly after returning from her travels. Sansa hadn’t expected to see her sister so soon; returning only after a year at sea. She had expect Arya to stay gone, perhaps for years. So it was a welcomed surprise when Arya showed up at the gates of Winterfell, outsmarting the guards as she knew how.

What was even more of surprise was when she showed up with Gendry Baratheon, newly named lord of the Stormlands.

Come to find out, Lord Baratheon left the region in good hands; a one Ser Davos Seaworth. Arya had mentioned how Gendry hadn’t the faintest idea on how to run a region, and although he was willing to learn, he preferred the work of blacksmith and inquired about a permanent position as Winterfell’s blacksmith.

Sansa gladly agreed, thinking nothing of her sister’s relationship with the man. She had assumed that they had created a good friendship over the Long Night, not know of their sordid past, or even their heated present.

As another year came and went, Sansa began to wonder about the future of Winterfell. She had no prospects for marriage and it was highly doubtful she would have any request any time soon. She wasn’t opposed to marriage, or even siring a few babes, however the remnants of her previous marriage had left too deep of scars for her to consider trying again; at least so soon.

Then one night, the idea came to her like a sudden bolt of lightning.

They could take in wards; orphaned children from the wars to head the Stark name. They would teach the children the way of their family, taking them in as their own to raise and shape to become the future of Winterfell. It wasn’t too far fetched of an idea. She wouldn’t be siring any babes, at least not in the near future and Arya was too busy with her sparring lessons to even look at a man.

Although not of blood, Sansa would make sure they felt as if they were true Starks from birth.

The idea stewed in her mind, pecking its way towards the surface. She wanted to badly to wake here sister and tell her of the brilliant idea, but thought it best to wait until they broke their fast come the morning. She knew how cranky Arya got with lack of sleep, and with her constant training already exhausting the poor thing, Sansa knew it best to wait.

So when the morning came, she asked her ladies maids to fetch her sister to break their fast. Normally, when it came time to break their fast, they would eat separately and then join one another (along with a few invited guest) in the evening for dinner. But with her excitement to let her sister in on her brilliant idea, Sansa decided that first thing in the morning would be the best time to tell.

She waited several minutes, impatiently clicking her foot against the leg of the pine wood table. Her sister could never be on time, not even as children. Often, their septa had to hunt down the wild beast so that she could do her lessons along with the rest of their siblings.

It was near past an hour from when she summoned her sister, did she arrive to break her fast. Sansa was less than thrilled, but pushed her disappointment aside so that they could speak of other important matters.

“You wanted to speak with me?” Arya asked as she took the seat across from Sansa, quickly diving into the lukewarm food.

“I did. I wanted to run an idea past you and see if it would benefit Winterfell.” Sansa nibbled on a piece of honey bread, quickly washing it away with her morning wine.

“You’ve never past any idea across me before, what makes this one different?” Sansa noticed how Arya picked up a piece of honey bread, and swiftly put it back down, grimacing as she did so.

“This idea involves our family and how it stands.” Sansa watched as Arya stiffened. She assumed there would be some apprehension, but didn’t account for her sister to go completely ridged at the idea.

“How do you mean?” Arya cautiously asked.

Sansa straightened her posture, sitting up to present her idea, “Well, as you know, Winterfell will need an heir and seeing as you, nor I, are even considering have babes or getting married, I thought that we should take in a few wards; orphaned children to maintain the legacy of Winterfell. If there is a time where either you or I have children, then we can talk about a blood heir then.”

There was a beat of silence as Sansa studied her sister’s reaction.

Arya was always a tough person to read. She seldom ever show her emotions, making it difficult for Sansa to read her sister’s thoughts. This time, however, Sansa noticed a slight panic in Arya’s eyes and wondered if the idea was too much, too soon.

“If you disagree, please tell me.”

Arya shook her head, “No! I think it’s a lovely idea. You’ll be giving a home to children who do not have one, but...”

“Yes?” Sansa noticed how here sister began to fidget in her chair and how her leg began to bounce. These were all indications that she was nervous, and Arya was hardly ever nervous. Her antics hadn’t changed, and Sansa knew that there was something Arya was itching to say, but was just too frightened to do so. “Arya, what is it?”

“You might not have to wait that long for a true heir.” She whispered ever so softly; almost too softly for Sansa to hear.

“Well, please do tell me who is having a babe, because it certainly isn’t me and it can’t be you. Have you heard news from the capital? Has our crippled brother managed to sire a child?” Sansa questioned, becoming more irritated at the lack of answers her sister was providing.

“No.”

“Then who?”

“Me! I’m with child! In six moon turns there will be cry’s of a new born babe to fill the walls of this castle.” Arya burst, gripping her stomach as she did so.

Sansa’s face paled at the sudden realization that her little sister had sired a babe. That her little sister had lain with a man and let him plant his seed within her. That her sister was unwed and would give birth to a bastard.

“Please tell me that this is some sick joke.”

Arya hung her head, “I wish it were, but the maester confirmed it a few days ago. I don’t know how, considering we were careful. I made sure to take my drought of moon tea every time we coupled, and even taking the herbs to kill his seed afterwards.”

Sansa nearly chocked on her own spit at her sister’s revelation. She had assumed it was a one time coupling; a curious girl who wanted to know what it was like. But here Arya was, all but telling Sansa that she had a lover, and for quite sometime.

“How long have you been with the man? The man who but his bastard in you?” Sansa asked, a little too harshly.

“It’s not a bastard, Sansa! It will never be a bastard! This babe was made out of love, not some tryst behind the stables!” Arya defended as tears began to well in her sisters eyes.

Sansa has only ever seen Arya cry a handful of times. Perhaps she had judged a little too harshly at what she thought were brash decisions made by a curious young woman. With a heavy sigh she said, “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to say it like that. Of course that child is not a bastard, not with you as a mother. It is a child of the north, after all. A Stark.”

“It’s not just a Stark, Sansa.”

“Then tell me, who is he? Who is the man that captured my little sister’s heart?” She asked sweetly. She didn’t want to offend her sister further, for she was too hard on her earlier.

Arya sighed, “It’s Gendry.”

Sansa’s eyes widened, “Lord Baratheon? Our blacksmith? What...how...when...?”

“I’ll answer all your questions in due time, sister. Just please do not punish him. He didn’t force me; if anything, I forced him.” She said with a chuckle as Sansa watched her sister reminisce on a distant memory.

“Liked you let me hurt him. Besides, he’s a gentleman and I cannot imagine him doing any such thing like that. His father may have sired him, but his nothing like the late Robert Baratheon.”

Arya chuckled, “Thank the Gods for that.”

  
“Now I know why your precautions failed.” Sansa chimed.

Arya crinkled here brows in confusion, “And why is that?”

“Why, dear sister, have you never heard that the ‘seed is strong’ when it comes to Baratheon men? No wonder you have a babe in your belly.” Sansa boasted as she took a sip of her wine.

“So, you’re not angry?”

“No! We have a Stark on the way! Besides, I cannot wait to spoil my niece or nephew.” She smiled.

Arya chuckled and took a sip of her own wine in celebration.

Sansa had feared there wouldn’t be anyone to carry on the legacy of the Starks. But with Arya’s revelation, she could see that perhaps there was a future for Winterfell after all.


End file.
